Article Contributed by Sacks and Company
Published on January 13, 2026
Dwight Yoakam & Friends: Rockin’ for the Kids at The Roxy, one-night-only charity concert to be held 1/28
Country music icon Dwight Yoakam will headline the inaugural Dwight Yoakam & Friends: Rockin’ for the Kids, a one-night-only charity concert taking place during GRAMMY Week in Los Angeles. The event will be held Wednesday, January 28, at the legendary Roxy Theatre, with proceeds benefiting Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA).
Presented by Dwight Yoakam alongside Billy Bob Thornton and McG, the evening will feature a full performance by Yoakam and his band, with special guest appearances from Charley Crockett, Marcus King, Lukas Nelson, and additional artists to be announced. Acclaimed director and producer McG will serve as emcee.
The roots of Rockin’ for the Kids trace back to a deeply personal experience for Yoakam and his wife, Emily. A few years ago, at the height of the COVID pandemic, the couple found themselves at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles with their infant son, meeting with Dr. Mark Krieger, SVP and Surgeon-in-Chief at CHLA, for what thankfully turned out to be a non-serious concern. Around the same time, Yoakam had participated in a livestream benefit for the Ronald McDonald House located across the street from CHLA, a connection Dr. Krieger was aware of and deeply appreciative.
While waiting in the corridors of CHLA, Dwight and Emily witnessed hundreds of children at various stages of recovery and treatment—an experience that left a lasting impression. In subsequent conversations with Dr. Krieger, Emily reflected on her earlier work as a volunteer at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville and posed a simple but powerful question: how could they give back to the hospital that supports so many children and families every day?
That moment planted the seed for what has now become an ongoing philanthropic effort—bringing artists together to raise funds and awareness for CHLA’s vital work and to make a tangible impact.
The idea gained momentum in September 2024, when Yoakam was invited to perform a charity concert at the Lido Theatre in Newport Beach, owned by McG. Yoakam suggested that Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Children’s Hospital Orange County serve as beneficiaries. At that event, Yoakam and Dr. Krieger reconnected and discussed creating an annual GRAMMY Week benefit—ultimately giving rise to Rockin’ for the Kids.
“When you walk the halls of a children’s hospital, it changes you. It puts all of life in a very graphic perspective,” says Yoakam. “As Emily and I were there with our own child, we saw so many families facing battles no one hopes to ever endure. While we were fortunate not to face those challenges ourselves, the experience never left us. Rockin’ for the Kids is our way of saying thank you to Dr. Krieger and the entire staff at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, on behalf of every family who places their trust in them every single day.”
“On behalf of everyone at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, we are thrilled to be partnering with Mr. Yoakam and his wife on what is sure to be a truly special evening,” adds Mark D. Krieger, MD, Surgeon-in-Chief and the Billy and Audrey L. Wilder Chair in Neurosurgery. “We are deeply grateful to Dwight and Emily for their passion and vision in bringing this night to life.”
Additional participating artists will be announced soon.
Ticket Information
Tickets go on sale Wednesday, January 14 at 10:00 a.m. PT via dwightyoakam.com. A limited number of sponsor and VIP tickets are available by contacting Matt Semler at msemler@chla.usc.edu.
